Thursday, February 9, 2012

Spacing Babies


I read once that having your children 3 years apart was the healthiest for the mother's body. I had no idea what this meant when I read it, but it stuck with me. I just knew that all of my babies would be between 2 and 3 years apart, because if I wanted to have 4 kids I had to have them close so I wouldn't be an old lady when I had my babies and because 3 years was the "healthiest."


So my baby is turning 3 in April. THREE. tres. 3.

Where is my next baby?

Did my next baby get lost in between new jobs, changing hospitals, growing a business, short selling a house, a giant lawsuit, depression and counseling, guilt of being a working mom, rising cost of daycare, marital stress, my mirena IUD, convenience, blogging, pinterest?

I am finally to the point in my life where the thought of baby number three is entering my life. It is that strange feeling how sometimes life doesn't go as planned. I haven't wanted a baby yet because for some reason I knew it wasn't the right time. The some reason could have been a number of the reasons above- but I promise it wasn't because of blogging or pinterest :)

Or it could have been just because having another baby at this point in my life wasn't what was best for my family. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. But for now my IUD is happily in place until I decide it wise part ways.


What about you? How did or are you spacing your children? Advice?

3 comments:

Anna said...

I've always wanted my kids to be 21 months apart. When my first was one I got pregnant, I thought awesome! Happened just how I planned, then 12 weeks later I had a miscarriage. aside from thoughts of sadness and disappointment, I thought oh I guess I'm not in charge of planning that part of my (or my kids' lives). So when my first was almost 3 I had my 2nd baby! I was happy but I had a weird baby hungry feeling (even thought I was holding my newborn it wasn't enough?) So I was patient and waited till said 2nd born turned one, then I started trying for a 3rd. Well I didn't get pregnant for 5 months. Then 9 weeks later miscarried. Again left with feeling of I guess I really shouldn't try and plan this part of my life. For me it will happen when it happens. The almost 3 yr span between the two kids I have was great. I had a great helper, never dealt with sibling jealousy. It was Pure bliss! One day I would love to have 2 really close together, like 16 months apart! A girl can dream right?

Rhe Christine said...

I think every person has what their idea of perfect is. I never wanted them closer than 2ish years, but not more than 3 years apart. I have friends that think that's too far and that they couldn't imagine them any farther. I dunno, i have friends that have them close together and i just think they are nuts. I'm tired enough as it is, but two little ones basically in the same sorts of phases! eeeekk!!!! My turned two in August and my daughter was born in October. We were working on potty training, he wanted to help, he didn't need constant watching, like being on top of him watching. He was communicating. Having my third one was even better. My daughter turned three a week after my son was born. She is potty trained, fully communicative and pretty self sufficient. Its great!

Becky said...

I vote there's no such thing as planning my own family. God laughs every time I try. Took three years and three losses to score my first baby so or COURSE I started trying again at a year to have my second. Two weeks from IUD removal to positive preg test. Oopsies.
Then when I talked Hubs into the third, it took eight months of trying. My two that are 20 months apart play great and fight often. My three year old is super jealous of the 5 week old.
Whether a certain spacing works for a family depends on lots of things, including the personality of the other kids.
I'll prevent if I'm not mentally able to handle the idea of the next kid, but other than that, I'm just leaving the rest of it up to God. I'm through with thinking I know best when I clearly have zero control anyway. :-)